Welding

Overview

Typical welding hazards include the risk of fire and burns since many common welding procedures involve an open electric arc or flame – that is why welding is called hot work. The use of compressed gases and flames in many welding processes also poses an explosion and fire risk. Eye damage is a risk because of the brightness of the weld area. Electric shock is also likely when a welder touches two metal objects that have a voltage between them.

Health hazards associated with welding include dangerous gases and particulate matter. Fumes and gases, such as carbon dioxide, ozone, and fumes containing heavy metals, can also be dangerous to welders lacking proper ventilation and training.

Publications

Checklists
- Welding, cutting and brazing
  Checklist for welding, cutting, and brazing.
  English
Fact sheets
- Airborne Exposure Limit for Manganese
  This factsheet highlights Oregon OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) for manganese compounds and fumes and describes Oregon OSHA’s manganese rule, which gives employers the option to use two different levels of respiratory protection based on assigned protective factors during common welding and welding-related tasks.
  English 07/21/2022
- Hexavalent chromium
  Describes the sources of hexavalent chromium, the risks of exposure and those likely to by affected - typically workers who handle pigments containing dry chromate and spray paints and coatings containing chromate, workers who operate chrome plating baths, and those who weld or cut metals containing chromium.
  English 10/11/2006
- Oxy-fuel gas cylinder storage
  Describes responsibilities for general industry and construction employers when storing cylinders used for oxygen-fuel gas welding, cutting, brazing, soldering, and flame coating (thermal spraying).
  English 06/29/2015
- Oxygen and fuel-gas welding and cutting
  Describes responsibilities for general industry and construction employers when using oxidizers, fuel-gases, containers, and equipment associated with oxygen-fuel gas welding, cutting, brazing, soldering, and flame coating (thermal spraying).
  English 06/29/2015
- Personal protective equipment
  Details when employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers, with an example of a hazard assessment, and descriptions of appropriate PPE for various tasks.
  English 08/24/2023
- Welding in Confined Spaces
  Highlights Oregon OSHA’s additional confined space requirements (effective Sept. 1, 2022); describes employers’ role in evaluating welding operations in a confined or permit space that is potentially hazardous. Includes how employers must control respiratory hazards in the space; testing the internal atmosphere; and what to document for each entry.
  English 08/12/2022
Hazard alerts
- Ignition hazard from drilling into sealed frames of agricultural equipment
  Do not drill, cut, weld, or otherwise penetrate sealed frames of agricultural equipment.
  English 07/05/1998
- Peligro de quemaduras causadas por reguladores recargados
  Regulator burnout danger
  Peligro de quemaduras causadas por reguladores recargados.
  Spanish 10/30/2008
- Regulator burnout danger
  Hazard alert on the danger of regulator burnout (RBO).
  English 09/12/2006
References
- Rules with requirements
  We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
  English 05/10/2019

Education and training

No items are currently available

Rules and rule-related

Adopted Rules
- Rules to Reduce Manganese Permissible Exposure Limit; Cross-References Welding Rules with Other Standards Including Confined Spaces
  Administrative Order 11-2021 Rule text
- Text of Adopted Rules to Reduce Manganese Permissible Exposure Limit; Cross-References Welding Rules with Other Standards Including Confined Spaces
  Administrative Order 11-2021
Final Rules
Interpretations
- Backflow and flashback devices on welding torches
  11/24/1992
- Backflow/flashback preventers
  05/29/2001
- MSDS for metals
  10/31/2008
- Transport and storage of compressed gas cylinders
  04/22/2009
Program Directives
- Confined Spaces and Permit Required Confined Spaces in General Industry and Construction
  Purpose: This instruction establishes enforcement policy and provides explanation of the standard to ensure uniform enforcement.
  A-062 12/31/2014
- PPE: Head Protection
  Purpose: To provide guidelines for the interpretation and application of OAR 437-002-0134(9).
  A-098 01/25/2012
- Recreational Boat Building Industry
  Purpose: This directive provides guidance concerning policies and procedures on the enforcement of the OR-OSHA standards for Shipyard Employment and the General Industry Standards in the recreational boat building industry.
  A-250 08/25/2005
- Respiratory Protection: General Guidelines
  Purpose: This instruction establishes agency interpretations and enforcement policies, and provides instructions to ensure uniform enforcement of the Respiratory Protection Standard, 1910.134.
  A-233 12/22/2014
- Welding, Cutting and Heat Treating Operations in Tunnels and Shafts
  Purpose: To establish guidelines for compliance personnel to use in the enforcement of 29 CFR 1926.800(m)(5)(i) in the context of the rules described in the following paragraphs which permit gas welding and cutting underground under carefully circumscribed conditions.
  A-075 05/04/2000
- Welding, Cutting, or Heating Metals Coated with Lead Based Paint
  Purpose: This directive explains the requirements imposed by rules 1926.353(c)(1) through 1926.354 when welding, cutting, or heating is performed in an enclosed space on metals coated with lead-bearing paint.
  A-009 06/06/2000
Summary of comments and decisions
- Summary of comments and agency decisions regarding proposed changes to oxygen-fuel gas welding, compressed gases, and acetylene in Division 2 General industry, and Division 3 Construction Administrative Rules
  6-2014

Video Resources

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Hot Work
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Welding
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